S&W Model 41

[Ttgoods]

Seems like the best Ammo for the S&W Model 41 is CCI Standard judging by what people say.

In times of scarcity my guess is CCI would rather make MINI MAG and more expensive Ammo.

So in addition to CCI are there any alternatives to CCI SV?

My guess is SK Lapua and Wolf work but I would appreciate anyone with experience to offer an educated opinion.

RT

[dulcmr-man]

My Model 41 likes the following in the order listed.

RWS R50 (groups inside the x-ring @ 50 yards)
Eley Tenex (groups inside the x-ring @ 50 yards)
Eley Club (groups slightly larger than x-ring @ 50 yards)
CCI SV (0032) (the plastic 100 pack) (groups inside the 10-ring @ 50 yards)
CCI SV (0035) (the cardboard 50 pack) (groups just inside the 10-ring @ 50 yards)

I shoot low expert scores and the difference in sandbagged group sizes isn't significant enough for me to warrant spending the extra money on the high end brands. However, I've seen other results with other Model 41s. I have not seen any of the CCI 0032 in a very long time, but the 0035 seems to be available on gunbroker.com and gunbot.net at prices that aren't too astronomical. My gun's preferences seem to hold true across a number of lot numbers, but I always test anyway, just in case.

I've talked with the CCI folks on the phone and they tell me the 0032 and 0035 are both loaded on the same production line. No reason for them to tell tales, so I reckon my Model 41 can smell the cardboard on the 0035.

[Rover]

I like the CCI cardboard in mine since it's the cheapest good stuff I can get, but in times of scarcity I've had great luck with Fiocchi standard, RWS Target Rifle, Winchester T22, Remington standard, CCI Blazer, plus some of the scarcer Euro brands.

[Murph]

Several 41 shooters at my club all shoot SK standard plus. Affordable, usually available, and super accurate even out to 50 yards.

[Ttgoods]

Thanks I have a brick of Sk so I will start there after I get the gun.

[deerspy]

I tried some of that SK in the round 500 bulk tube when I could not find CCI SV. SK cost about 20.00 more than a brick of CCI SV but it shoot real good out of my 41.

[mudhenk27]

I've had flawless performance with Norma TAC22 in my 41 with Clark barrel.

[Sa-tevo]

My Model 41 likes the following in the order listed.

RWS R50 (groups inside the x-ring @ 50 yards)
Eley Tenex (groups inside the x-ring @ 50 yards)
Eley Club (groups slightly larger than x-ring @ 50 yards)
CCI SV (0032) (the plastic 100 pack) (groups inside the 10-ring @ 50 yards)
CCI SV (0035) (the cardboard 50 pack) (groups just inside the 10-ring @ 50 yards)
- snip - .

My friend and I tested a M41 51/2" barrel that was relined by Ten Ring Precision at 50 yards from a Ransom Rest on a heavy wooden rifle bench. While not the perfect mount, we saw similiar results. Eley Club, Eley Target, and CCI SV (cardboards box) were all on or inside the X-ring with twenty shot groups. RWS Rifle Target had 5 fliers just outside the X-ring out of twenty shots. Wolf Match Target made the smallest group, about 1 1/4" inch. RWS Rifle Target had one stovepipe jam. No cleaning or compensation for different manufacturer's bullet lubes were made between testing of brands.

While a more stable base may have given us those pretty bench rest type groups, as a beginning shooter I was happy to see that the loads and the pistol had usable accuracy. The next test is to shoot these loads for reliability.

[Rover]

Sounds like a realistic, yet not anal, test to me.

I also like the Norma TAC22, but it's scarce and relatively unknown.

[j danielsson]

RWS is the manufacturer of all 22lr ammunition branded Norma. Pity there isn´t a crosslist between the sorts.

[jps2486]

I had to change my recoil spring to accommodate CCI Std. Get one from Champions Choice.

[Isabel1130]

"both loaded on the same production line. No reason for them to tell tales, so I reckon my Model 41 can smell the cardboard on the 0035"


They may be loaded on the same production line, but at least a couple of years ago, they didn't use the same powder. Friends of mine have pulled the rounds apart, and said 0035 doesn't use the same powder.

[Ttgoods]

I have of a brick of cci I traded for that marked target and it's in a orange and blue box I am thinking it's the predecessor to green tag.

I would agree the cci in the plastic box seems to be a hair better.

[Rover]

I THINK that for a while there were two lines (plants) for the cardboard and the plastic.

A friend toured a CCI plant some time back and told me the Standard and Green Tag were different lots of the same thing.

I prefer the cardboard since it's the cheapest and I've shot 1000s of rounds of it without a bobble and with good accuracy.

[Isabel1130]

I THINK that for a while there were two lines (plants) for the cardboard and the plastic.

A friend toured a CCI plant some time back and told me the Standard and Green Tag were different lots of the same thing.

I prefer the cardboard since it's the cheapest and I've shot 1000s of rounds of it without a bobble and with good accuracy.

I believe that SV and green tag are essentially identical.

I used to get substantially more duds in the CCI paper box, maybe one dud every 200 rounds.
As opposed to almost never with the 0032.

I suspect that whoever answers the phones and email at CCI are instructed to say things like, all comes off the same line, same ammo etc, and for 99 percent of shooters, plinking and practicing there is absolutely no reason to really care, other than about price.

However for those of us who have had a double alibi really screw up a match, no one wants to spend a few hundred dollars in travel, and match fees, and then try and save a few pennies on unreliable or inaccurate ammo.

It all comes down to the trust factor.

[Wsuman]

My 41 went to Clark for a tune up. They shot a group of Eley Black, 10 rounds at 50 yards was 0.68".

I shoot SK and Wolf match at many inches larger radius.


Walt

[Rover]

How come all the guys on TT aren't raving about the M41? I'm happy with mine and have been shooting the hell out of it for over 30 years.

[mr alexander]

Here's what CCI once told me about the difference between CCI #0032 and CCI #0035. Both are considered to be standard

velocity cartridges, however:


#0032

Only made by CCI-Idaho

1070 fps mv (20" barrel)

Comes packaged in 100 ct. plastic box



#0035

If lot # starts with a letter: CCI-Idaho product

Bullets have a black color, due to lube used on them

Extremely close to #0032 (within lot-to-lot specs)

1070 fps mv (20" barrel)

Comes packaged in 50 ct. cardboard box



#0035

If lot # starts with a number: Federal-Minnesota product

Bullets have a gray color, due to lube used on them

Has Federal's own bullet shape, along with their priming and powder

1100+ fps mv (20" barrel)

Comes packaged in 50 ct. cardboard box



Both Federal and CCI are owned by ATK. Therefore, these 2 companies may occasionally swap bullets, due to overruns at one

facility or the other. I dug this info out of my files from notes taken during my phone conversation with CCI's Tech Support Group.

The only problem with all of this data? That phone call took place in NOVEMBER of 2008! Do you think things may have changed at

CCI since then?

[paw080]

I THINK that for a while there were two lines (plants) for the cardboard and the plastic.

A friend toured a CCI plant some time back and told me the Standard and Green Tag were different lots of the same thing.

I prefer the cardboard since it's the cheapest and I've shot 1000s of rounds of it without a bobble and with good accuracy.

I believe that SV and green tag are essentially identical.

I used to get substantially more duds in the CCI paper box, maybe one dud every 200 rounds.
As opposed to almost never with the 0032.

I suspect that whoever answers the phones and email at CCI are instructed to say things like, all comes off the same line, same ammo etc, and for 99 percent of shooters, plinking and practicing there is absolutely no reason to really care, other than about price.

However for those of us who have had a double alibi really screw up a match, no one wants to spend a few hundred dollars in travel, and match fees, and then try and save a few pennies on unreliable or inaccurate ammo.

It all comes down to the trust factor.

Hello Isabel, a friend of mine who is a distributer rep visited the CCI plant several years ago,

and saw with his own eyes that CCI Green Tag and the standard velocity blue were being

produced from the exact same run.

Tony

[Rover]

I was very interested in the S&W Model 41 until I read your comments. What have you found that is working well for you for match shooting?

Every post on here told you what was working. What does that have to do with a M41?